Who we are

The entire MCNS staff is responsible for the educational program and the day-to-day operation of the school. The administration consists of the Director, the Assistant Director and Admissions Coordinator, and the Educational Consultant and Curriculum Specialist. There are three Group Teachers for the four separate classes. Ten Assistant Teachers and one Aide complete the teaching staff. The specialists provide additional enrichment to the classes. The Consultants offer support and advice in the event of concerns or issues in the classrooms or provide their expertise to the staff and administration in specific areas.

Our Curriculum

Our curriculum utilizes materials and methods as they best suit young children's needs and interests. MCNS begins with the understanding that each child needs to be appreciated and accepted and to appreciate and accept himself or herself. Children participate in a variety of individual and group activities. Strong emphasis is placed upon exploration and discovery and development of personal satisfaction, independence, self- management skills, and motivation. In addition, focus is placed on each child's relationships with his or her peers and with teaching adults and what it means to be part of a group.

Positive Socialization

The development of positive social skills is a strong mandate of the school. If success in school and in life is the goal for children, the development of positive social skills is crucial. Children learn to understand social roles through play. They learn to control impulses and learn how to give and take and make compromises. Research confirms that social competency is a primary indicator of success. This cannot be gained from worksheets or sitting alone at a computer working one’s way through even the most engaging educational programs. Problem-solving, leadership, and taking turns all are developed through play with other children.

Creativity and Artistic Expression

The curriculum naturally includes many activities which allow the children self-expression and help develop creativity, which is necessary to solve the problems and meeting the challenges that we all encounter in life. Problem-solving, leadership, and cooperation all rely on the ability to be a creative thinker. The MCNS philosophy upholds the idea that in order for constructive play to occur and creativity to develop there must be a strong underlying structure that supports the play, a strong community of learners with whom to interact, and a general atmosphere that fosters creativity. The visual and musical arts provide young children opportunities to develop their creative thinking and the creative process through the media they explore and musical expression in which they engage. Art and music both play a critical role in the curriculum and allow ample opportunities for children to develop age-appropriate mastery in these important areas.

Teachers

As Twlyla Tharp says, you can’t think outside the box until you have a box. The structure at MCNS is well-balanced and age-appropriate, and it works. The children are learning, creating, and thriving. The teachers are responsible for keeping the structure intact and both guiding and collaborating with the children as they explore materials and engage in activities throughout the day. Through careful observation teachers can evaluate the progress of individual children and become aware of topics that can be enhanced through further study or additional materials. Open-ended questions can be posed to the children, questions that will build on their accomplishments or challenge them to think in a new direction. The emergent approach to curriculum gives freedom to both the teachers and the children to develop projects and activities that are interesting and challenging to both. The underlying structure established by the teachers allows the children to take risks, explore, and experiment in a safe and nurturing environment. Creativity, interactions, and learning cannot exist in chaos, nor can they exist when curriculum is preprogrammed and close-ended. Meet our teaching staff as they interact with the children.